Gateway network element, a method, and a group of load balanced access points configured for load balancing in a communications network

Abstract

The present invention refers to providing of a load balancing, by use of a gateway network element comprising a group of load balanced access points. In particular, the load balancing is performed by selecting of an access point from said group of load balanced access points by use of an access point name, which is derived from a packet data protocol context activation request, said packet data protocol context activation request being transmitted by a mobile subscriber or node, respectively, and received by the gateway network element.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A gateway network element
 configured to perform load balancing, the gateway network element comprising: 
 a group of load balanced access points, each of the access points of said group of load balanced access points being assigned a load weight, said load weight indicating a percentage of active contexts, which an access point, said load weight is assigned to, can manage, each access point of the group using a connection to a different application server; 
 a receiver for receiving a packet data protocol context activation request, the packet data protocol context activation request containing an access point name; 
 a selector for selecting an access point from said group of load balanced access points by use of the access point name; and 
 the gateway network element configured to disconnect a particular application server by setting the load weight in the group to zero for the access point connected to the particular application server. 
 
     
     
       2. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein the load weight is a configurable load weight. 
     
     
       3. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein said group of load balanced access points is a configurable group. 
     
     
       4. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein the access points contained in said group of load balanced access points have an identical part of configuration. 
     
     
       5. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein said selector is configured to select the access point from said group of load balanced access points if the access point name is linked to said group of load balanced access points. 
     
     
       6. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein a selected access point is a least loaded access point in said group of load balanced access points. 
     
     
       7. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein a selected access point is a least loaded access point in said group of load balanced access points with regard to the load weight assigned to said selected access point. 
     
     
       8. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein the gateway network element is a Gateway GPRS Support Node. 
     
     
       9. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein the gateway network element is an intelligent node with service awareness and switching capabilities. 
     
     
       10. The gateway network element according to  claim 1 , wherein the gateway network element is a Flexi Intelligent Service Node. 
     
     
       11. A method for load balancing, which comprises the steps of:
 receiving a packet data protocol context activation request, the packet data protocol context activation request containing an access point name; 
 selecting an access point from a group of load balanced access points by use of the access point name, the group of load balanced access points being provided in a gateway network element, each access point of the group using a connection to a different application server; 
 assigning to each of the access points of the group of load balanced access points a load weight, the load weight indicating a percentage of active contexts, which an access point, the load weight is assigned to, can manage; and 
 disconnecting a particular application server by setting the load weight in the group to zero for the access point connected to the particular application server. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein in the selecting step, selecting the access point from the group of load balanced access points if the access point name is linked to the group of load balanced access points. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein in the selecting step, selecting the access point, which is a least loaded access point in said group of load balanced access points. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein a selected access point is a least loaded access point in the group of load balanced access points with regard to a load weight assigned to the selected access point. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 11 , which further comprises providing services by use of a connection between a selected access point and the application server. 
     
     
       16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to be executed via a processor for performing a method for load balancing, which comprises the steps of:
 receiving a packet data protocol context activation request, the packet data protocol context activation request containing an access point name; 
 selecting an access point from a group of load balanced access points by use of the access point name, the group of load balanced access points being provided in a gateway network element, each access point of the group using a connection to a different application server; 
 assigning to each of the access points of the group of load balanced access points a load weight, the load weight indicating a percentage of active contexts, which an access point, the load weight is assigned to, can manage; and 
 disconnecting a particular application server by setting the load weight in the group to zero for the access point connected to the particular application server. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , further comprising a data carrier and said computer-executable instructions are embedded in said data carrier. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable medium is configured to perform the method when the computer-readable medium is executed by a computer having a processor.